


I Bought You Flours

by Juliette_heronstairs_apples



Series: Soulmates [3]
Category: The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 21:08:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18747151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juliette_heronstairs_apples/pseuds/Juliette_heronstairs_apples
Summary: James owns a tattoo parlour. When he hears that the shop next door is being turned into a flower shop, James has to admit he is terrified to meet the new owner. He does not, as a rule, talk to new people.But maybe Matthew will be the exception.





	I Bought You Flours

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! You do not have to read the first two fics to read this. The soulmate concept is the same: everyone has a black and white mark that is either a flower or an animal. Your soulmate has the same one, and the first time you look at them face on, your mark turns to full colour.

James is not a sociable person. His favourite companion is probably his library, and when he was younger his parents and his sister did all the talking. So, understandably, when he hears that the terrible café next door that no one had ever gone to was being turned into a flower shop, and therefore there would be a new owner, and therefore James would have to make conversation, he panics.

He has until Monday before the shop opens, but he's already caught glimpses of the new owner. He's only seen the back of his head so far, and it happens to be very blond and very high up, because the new owner is quite tall.

So nothing like James, then.

("You are tall, James! Just because you had a late growth spurt doesn't mean you're not tall! *Sigh* You're so negative."- his sister)

It's Friday, and James has just closed his shop for the day and gone upstairs, when he hears a knock on the door. Wondering who could be calling on him now, James goes downstairs, idly making up threats to utter if it's his sister.

And he stops.

It's the owner of the new shop, and he's gorgeous, and he hasn't caught sight of James yet because he's behind a table, but James is looking at him face on, and that's all his soulmate mark needs to tingle and- James pulls up his shirt to check- turn a vibrant shade of green.

James rubs a hand over his face and curses. Just his luck to get a soulmate who would probably hate him.

The neighbour knocks again, and James starts, realising he hasn't yet opened the door. He hurries forward, keeping his head down so as not to make eye contact because he's humiliated and to be honest he's not sure why, and opens the door. The next door neighbour starts to speak, and then stops, evidently coming to the same conclusion as James.

They're soulmates.

The neighbour blinks at him a bit, and then smiles, somehow working out why James is embarrassed when James isn't sure himself. He holds out a hand, and says, "I'm Matthew," and James shakes his hand and introduces himself too. It's a bit awkward, and James only realises he's left Matthew waiting in the doorway after about 5 seconds have already passed. He goes even redder than before, and there's a bit of mumbling and, "no, it's quite alright," and "sorry, sorry," from both of them as James moves to let him in.

Matthew has apparently decided that they will tackle this soulmate thing later, and dives into pleasantries, explaining that he came over because they're neighbours and he thought it they should get to know each other, and when he says that James understands the double meaning and asks him if he wants anything to eat or drink, implying in his own way that Matthew can stay as long as he wants. Again, Matthew seems to understand him perfectly, and smiles and says he wouldn't mind a coffee. 

He ends up staying for a very long time, several hours at least, and by that time James knows that he wants to be an actor but was "discouraged from that path" by his family, and Matthew hasn't really been told anything but has managed to figure out that James like poetry and classical music, and he'd rather be a professional pianist than a tattoo artist, but he's never been good with crowds so he folded and ended up here. James thinks that Matthew might actually be the nicest person he's ever met, and that he is extremely glad Matthew is his soulmate.

* * *

The next day, Matthew comes over again, after James is finished for the day, and brings him flowers. They're all beautiful, but the one that really catches James' eye is the flower in the middle, a green carnation, exactly like James' soulmate mark. He looks up at Matthew and finds him smiling softly, and without thinking James leans up and kisses him.

It's wonderful, and James wants to carry on forever, but he remembers the flowers held between them and carefully puts them on a table, before flinging his arms round Matthew and kisses him properly, angling his head slightly. 

Afterwards, they cuddle on the couch, and talk about life, and anything that comes to mind. James feels like he's known Matthew his whole life. He shows Matthew his mark, which is on the side of his stomach, and Matthew leans down and kisses it before showing James his matching one on the nape of his neck. James kisses it, then smiles into Matthew's neck and starts tickling him, and it immediately becomes apparent that Matthew is extremely ticklish, much to James' delight.

* * *

The next day, on Sunday, James doesn't work, so he lazes around a bit, calls his parents like a good son, practices his piano, and then he can't stand it any longer and he races over to Matthew's and knocks on the door.

They pick up their conversation where they left off yesterday, and it's easy and delightful, and James might be in heaven.

* * *

The day after that, it's Matthew's first day of work, and James has given himself the afternoon off to go round and visit Matthew. He shuts up the shop, carefully picks up his present, then goes round.

He stops outside the window for a second, just admiring Matthew, before shaking himself and going inside. It's just the right temperature, slightly cooler than outside, and already on the first day a few people have come in. As James watches from the back of the shop, smiling proudly, Matthew's magnetism and instinctive people skills draw people in until the shop is packed. James knows for a fact that no one in the area is a flowery type of person, and it's the  _first day,_ but the shop is completely full, because Matthew is that sort of person.

Matthew catches sight of him and his face lights up upon seeing James. He makes his way through the shop to him, and then his eyebrows shoot up. James is holding five bags of flour on a wooden tray with a very solemn expression. 

"I bought you flours," he says, and Matthew bursts out laughing. 

Afterwards, James gives him his real present (a box of chocolates with a card) but Matthew says he prefers the flours and kisses each one devoutly. James is making odd noises of suppressed laughter, and Matthew head butts him, and James can't stop himself anymore and roars with laughter, his head tipped back. He thinks Matthew might be the first person who's ever managed to make him laugh like that.

* * *

They date, and James introduces Matthew to his family and they adore him, and Matthew introduces James to his parents but not his brother because his brother's horrible, apparently. Matthew's parents love him, and make them come round to dinner every Sunday. 

Then they're married, and they've moved in together, and Matthew's an actor now, and James is trying to work up the courage to perform in front of crowds and he thinks he might be getting somewhere, and life is pretty much perfect. As he looks back to when he first met Matthew, he thanks his lucky stars he got an angel for a soulmate. 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Kudos and comments much appreciated. I hope you enjoyed it, and kudos to anyone who got the reference.


End file.
